Submitted by John Keith

Mullen Pass Radio, Idaho, about 1940

John R. Keith at the radio console. He started his journey with the US Navy as a radioman on the USS Pelican, a seaplane tender.  One of the skills he learned in the Navy was to pound out an
amazing number of words per minute on an old manual typewriter.  John also took a photo of Amelia Earhart, probably on the day she was last seen alive.

After leaving the Navy, he joined the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA). His first duty station is believed to be at Mullen Pass, ID about 1940.  Most of John’s career path is depicted below starting in July 1942. You will notice that he didn’t do a standard bureaucratic job advancement. He was insatiably curious, so he wasn’t too worried about the grade/position, rather, he wanted  to experience new places as noted by his son, also John Keith.